The present invention pertains to a toy vehicle such as an automobile in which pairs of wheels mounted respectively adjacent the forward and rearward ends thereof support the vehicle and the axle of one of said pairs of wheels is driven by a motor which is energized by an elongated elastic member, such as a rubber band, which is twisted by means described hereinafter in order to rapidly twist the elastic member sufficiently to provide appropriate energy to drive the vehicle for a substantial distance by means of a gear train, all of which are described in detail hereinafter.
A number of toy vehicles such as automobiles and the like are available in which the wheels are driven by suitable small electric motors energized by dry batteries which, depending upon the amount of use, can require frequent replacement. Other types of toy vehicles have been designed however which are powered by means other than electric motors, especially to save replacement costs, some of these including coiled spring motors which are coiled or otherwise energized in various ways. Typical examples of spring motored toy vehicles comprising the subject matter of prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,216,529 to Lohr, dated Nov. 9, 1962, and 3,919,804 to Nakata, dated Nov. 18, 1975. Both of these patents use a toothed rack which drives appropriate gearing to coil the spring. Another type of spring operated toy vehicle is the subject matter of prior U.S. Pat. No. 1,914,438 to Labin, dated June 20, 1933, in which a tensioned spring is adapted to be stretched by pulling a spiral rod in one direction and, upon releasing the rod, the coil spring pulls the spiral rod in retracting direction through a slot in a drive gear which actuates a pinion gear on an axle of the vehicle to drive the same.
Prior patents also disclose toy vehicles in which the power means comprises a rubber band which is capable of being twisted. For example, in prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,749,660 to Zimentstark, dated June 12, 1956, a twisted rubber band drives a ring gear associated with a pinion on the drive axle of the vehicle, the rubber band being twisted by a manually operated key which comprises a relatively slow means for twisting the rubber band. Still another similar U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,746 to Prodger et al uses a rubber band which is twisted by means of rotating a simulated spare tire on the rear end of the vehicle capable of having the rim thereof move in frictional engagement with the surface to rotate the same and thereby twist the rubber band.
Stil another type of supplying energy to a toy vehicle is the subject matter of prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,129 to Lemelson, dated Oct. 17, 1972, in which an inertia wheel is mounted in driving relationship to the rear axle of the vehicle, the inertia wheel being set in motion by means of a rack movable transversely from one side of the vehicle to rotate a gear associated with the inertia wheel.
Still another type of rubber band motor mechanism is disclosed in prior British Pat. No. 477,769 to Lobb, London, England, dated Jan. 3, 1938, in which the rubber band motor is mounted in a boat and is adapted to be twisted by a spiral rod moved longitudinally with respect to gear mechanism while the propeller is held stationary by a stop lever, and when the rubber band is twisted sufficiently, the stop lever is released and the twisted rubber band drives the propeller.
The present invention includes simple but highly effective means for driving a toy vehicle by means of a twisted elongated elastic member, such as a rubber band which is adapted to be coiled by mechanism not suggested in detail in the foregoing art and it is believed that the construction comprises improvements thereover, details of the invention being set forth below.